Shuffleboard type of game with steps and sliding gamepieces

ABSTRACT

A shuffleboard type of game in which a game board has a series of flat surfaced steps one of which is the highest step at one end of the series and one of which is the lowest step at the opposite end of the series, with the plurality of steps having progressively lower elevations from the highest toward the lowest step. A propelling device in the form of a chute is connected to the highest step for propelling down the steps a gamepiece which frictionally slides along the steps, the steps being assigned different scores so that the score is determined by that step at which a gamepiece stops moving.

United States Patent [1 1 Lohr [ Oct. 23, 1973 1 SHUFFLEBOARD TYPE OF GAME WITII STEPS AND SLIDING GAMEPIECES [75] Inventor: Raymond J. Lohr, Erie, Pa.

[73] Assignee Louis Marx8zCo.,Inc.,

Stamford, Conn.

[22] Filed: June 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 264,092

[52] U.S. Cl 273/126, 273/120 R, 273/128 R [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58] Field oiSearch 273/22, 108, 118 R, 273/120 R, 126 R, 128 R, 128 A, 129; 46/43 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,188 2/1926 Diegel 273/120 R 657,522 9/1900 Dieters et a1..... 273/120 R 3,618,944 11/1971 Myers 273/22 3,206,210 9/1965 Bard 273/128 R 1,565,525 12/1925 Tatosian.. 273/120 R 3,181,866 5/1965 Clochesy 273/126 R 637,549 11/1899 Engel et al 273/120 R X Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerR. T. Stouffer Attorney-Alex Friedman et a].

[57] ABSTRACT A shuffleboard type of game in which a game board has a series of flat surfaced steps one of which is the highest step at one end of the series and one of which is the lowest step at the opposite end of the series, with the plurality of steps having progressively lower elevations from the highest toward the lowest step. A propelling device in the form of a chute is connected to the highest step for propelling down the steps a gamepiece which frictionally slides along the steps, the steps being assigned different scores so that the score is determined by that step at which a gamepiece stops moving.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 23, 1973 SHUFFLEBOARD TYPE OF GAME WITH STEPS AND SLIDING GAMEPIECES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to games.

In particular, the present invention relates to shuffleboard types of games where a gamepiece is frictionally moved along a surface.

While games of shuffleboard are old and well known, up to the present time they have not been available in small compact forms capable of being used in the home while occupying a small space and being of relatively low cost so that the shuffleboard type of action can be carried out at locations other than relatively large areas such as on open concrete spaces or on shipboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to solve the problem.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a shuffleboard type of game which is relatively small and can easily be accommodated in any room or relatively small area where it normally would not be possible to play a shuffleboard type of game.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a shuffleboard type of game which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture so that is can be utilized by large numbers of individuals.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to retain for the shuffleboard type of game of the invention the possibility of one player knocking the gamepiece of another player from a position to which the gamepiece was initially moved by the other player.

In addition it is an object of the invention to provide a shuffleboard type of game which can be played'by a relatively large number-of individuals requiring a considerable amount of skill in the playing of the game so that entertainment is achieved from the game of the invention not only by elements of chance but also by elements of skill.

According to the invention the game includes a game board having a series of steps one of which is the highest step at one end of the series and one of which is the lowest step at the other end of the series, with the steps having progressively lower elevations from the highest to the lowest step. A propelling means is operatively connected with the highest stepv for propelling down to the latter with a force selected by the operator a shuffleboard type of gamepiece which slides along the steps until it comes to rest on one of the steps. Various scores are assigned to the several steps so that the winning player can be determined by use of such scores.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective illustration of a shuffleboard type of game according to the present invention, FIG. 1 showing in phantom lines various positions which may be taken by the propelling means of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the game of FIG. 1 taken along line 2 -2 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows at the lowest of the steps and showing a gamepiece on the lowest step; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation taken along line 44 of FIG. I in the direction of the arrows, at a scale larger than FIG. 1, illustrating further details of the game of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I, the game 10 of the invention which is illustrated therein is a shuffleboard type of game in that it includes a gamepiece means 12 which is adapted to move frictionally along a surface of a game board 14. The game board 14 has a series of steps, the highest step 16 of which is located at one end of the series while the lowest step 18 of the series is located most distant from the highest step 16. Between these steps are the series of steps 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30, which are progressively of lower elevations from the highest step 16 to the lowest step 18. These steps have horizontal attitudes and have horizontal upwardly directed relatively smooth surfaces of low friction each of which is located over its entire area in a single plane. The series of steps may be integrally molded with a pair of side walls 32 and34 of the game board. These side walls 32 and 34 terminate at their upper ends inoutwardly directed flanges 36 and 38, and beside the several steps lower than the highest step 16 these flanges are grooved to receive strips 40 provided with indicia 42. One of the strips 40 is illustrated in part in FIG. 3. The indicia 42 is apparent from FIG. 1 which indicates that various scores are assigned to the various steps.

The lowest step 18 terminates in an upwardly directed wall 44 which prevents any of the gamepiece means 12 from moving beyond the lowest step 18.

The highest step 16 is formed with depressions 46 capable of accommodating additional gamepiece means.

Each gamepiece means 12 takes the form of a spherical body which is relatively heavy such as a common ball 48 of the type encountered in ball bearings. The structure of the gamepiece means 12 is most clearly apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4. The relatively heavy steel ball 48 is surrounded by a relatively light plastic case or cage 50 made of plastic material such as polyethylene, for example. In its interior the cage 50 has a maximum diameter considerably greater than the diameter of the ball 48 while at its ends or top and bottom faces the cage 50 has a smaller diameter less than the diameter of the ball 48. The cage 50 is sufficiently yieldable so that each ball 48 may be snapped into the cage 50. When the cage 50 rests on a horizontal surface the ball 48 will also be capable of rolling on this horizontal surface, and the diameter of the inner periphery of each cage at its opposed ends is sufficiently greater than the ball 48 at the corresponding elevation to provide for sufficient clearance to permit free rolling of the ball 48 which is thus capable of propelling the cage 50 frictionally along the surface along which the ball 48 rolls. Thus when a ball 48 is propelled along the game board instead of being able to roll freely its movement is retarded by the force of friction achieved by way of the cage 50.

A propelling means 52 is provided for manually propelling each gamepiece means 12 along the game board with a force selected by the operator and also at a direction selected by the operator. This propelling means 52 is in the form of an elongated flexible chute 54 made of any suitable plastic material which also may be polyethylene. The chute 54 has a pair of side flanges 56 so that the gamepiece will be retained therebetween. At its bottom end the chute or propelling means is pivotally connected to the highest step 16 as by a rivet 58 which forms a pivot means. The propelling means or chute 52 is springy and yieldable so that the operator can readily change the inclination of the chute and thus determine the momentum which will be imparted to the gamepiece when it is permitted to slide down the chute onto the game board. In addition the operator is capable of swiveling or pivoting the chute, as indicated by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 1, so that in this way the direction of movement of the gamepiece can be determined.

Thus, in playing the game the first player will choose a certain attitude of inclination for the propelling means 52 and will place a gamepiece means 12 thereon. When this gamepiece means is released it will by gravity progress down the chute and then down the steps from one to the next stopping at a given step which will be determined by the inclination of the chute 52 which was chosen by the operator. If the gamepiece stops at the step 30, for example, the highest score will be achieved while at the last or lowest 18 the lowest score is achieved, and at intermediate steps 28, 24, and 20 relatively low scores will also be achieved. However step 22 and step 26 will give somewhat higher scores. Thus the operator is called upon to exercise a certain degree of skill in determining how the propelling means 52 is to be manipulated and held in order to achieve the highest score.

The second player will of course use the same approach. However in addition the second player if he wishes can attempt to pivot the propelling means at the pivot means 58 in such a way that the second gamepiece propelled by the second player not only will reach a step of high score but will also succeed in knocking the gamepiece of the first player from a step of higher score onto a step of a lower score.

In this way an exceedingly entertaining game conbining elements of skill and chance is provided.

Moreover, the game is relatively inexpensive since the parts are readily molded of inexpensive plastic materials.

it is possible to swing the chute 54 around so that it becomes situated over the game board 14 to enable the entire game to be stored in a relatively small space. A large number of gamepieces 12 may be utilized so that a large number of players may participate. Moreover it is to be noted that the game is perfectly safe because there are no projectiles traveling at high speeds and injury to individuals or breakage of property is unlikely to occur.

What is claimed is:

l. A shuffleboard type of game comprising a game board having a series of steps one of which at one end of the series is the highest of the steps and another of which at the other end of the series is the lowest of the steps, and said steps having progressively lower elevations from said highest to said lowest step, said steps each having a smooth relatively upwardly directed surface forming the entire upper area in a single plane over said entire upper area, gamepiece means having surface contacting means for moving along said upwardly directed surfaces of said steps, said surface contacting means also having a relatively low coefficient of friction, and gamepiece means being adapted to slide progressively down said steps from the highest toward the lowest of the steps, the frictional contact between said gamepiece means and said steps being influenced by the impact of said gamepiece means on a given step as it falls onto the latter from the next higher step, and propelling means operatively engaging said gamepiece means for propelling the latter with a force selected by the operator from the highest toward the lowest of the steps, the several steps being assigned different scores so that the score which is achieved is determined by that one of the steps at which said gamepiece means stops after being propelled by the propelling means with the force selected by the operator.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said game board includes a pair of parallel side walls extending upwardly beyond'said steps and between which said steps are located, said side walls respectively having upwardly directed edges carrying indicia which indicate the scores of the several steps.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said propelling means includes a chute having lower end connected to said highest step, said chute extending rearwardly from said higher step away from the remaining steps to an elevation higher than said highest step, and said elongated chute being of a yieldability sufficient to enable the operator to control the inclination of said chute, said gamepiece means being directed by the operator down the chute onto the highest step so that in accordance with the selected inclination of said chute the force which propels said gamepiece means down said steps will be determined.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein a pivot means pivotally connects said chute at its lowest end to the highest step for swinging movement with respect to said upwardly directed surface thereof about an axis perpendicular to the latter surface so that said pivot means said chute can be swung about said axis for angularly directing the gamepiece means with respect to said steps.

5. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said highest step is formed with depressions for accommodating a plurality of said gamepiece means.

6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said gamepiece means includes a rotary ball member made of a rigid metal and a cage surrounding said ball member and having a smaller weight than said ball member for slidably engaging a surface along which said ball member rolls and along which said cage is propelled by said ball member.

7. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said lowest step terminates at its edge most distant from said highest step in an inwardly directed wall for limiting the gamepiece means from moving beyond said lowest step. 

1. A shuffleboard type of game comprising a game board having a series of steps one of which at one end of the series is the highest of the steps and another of which at the other end of the series is the lowest of the steps, and said steps having progressively lower elevations from said highest to said lowest step, at least all but the highest of said steps each having a smooth relatively upwardly directed surface forming the entire upper area thereof, wherein said upwardly directed surface is continuous and is formed in a single plane over said entire upper area, gamepiece means having surface contacting means for moving along said upwardly directed surfaces of said steps, wherein at least part of said surface contacting means moves by sliding friction only, said surface contacting means also having a relatively low coefficient of friction, and gamepiece means being adapted to slide progressively down said steps from the highest toward the lowest of the steps, the frictional contact between said gamepiece means and said steps being influenced by the impact of said gamepiece means on a given step as it falls onto the latter from the next higher step, and propelling means operatively engaging said gamepiece means for propelling the latter with a force selected by the operator from the highest toward the lowest of the steps, the several steps being assigned different scores so that the score which is achieved is determined by that one of thE steps at which said gamepiece means stops after being propelled by the propelling means with the force selected by the operator.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said game board includes a pair of parallel side walls extending upwardly beyond said steps and between which said steps are located, said side walls respectively having upwardly directed edges carrying indicia which indicate the scores of the several steps.
 3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said propelling means includes a chute having lower end connected to said highest step, said chute extending rearwardly from said higher step away from the remaining steps to an elevation higher than said highest step, and said elongated chute being of a yieldability sufficient to enable the operator to control the inclination of said chute, said gamepiece means being directed by the operator down the chute onto the highest step so that in accordance with the selected inclination of said chute the force which propels said gamepiece means down said steps will be determined.
 4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein a pivot means pivotally connects said chute at its lowest end to the highest step for swinging movement with respect to said upwardly directed surface thereof about an axis perpendicular to the latter surface so that said pivot means said chute can be swung about said axis for angularly directing the gamepiece means with respect to said steps.
 5. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said highest step is formed with depressions for accommodating a plurality of said gamepiece means.
 6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said gamepiece means includes a rotary ball member made of a rigid metal and a cage surrounding said ball member and having a smaller weight than said ball member for slidably engaging a surface along which said ball member rolls and along which said cage is propelled by said ball member.
 7. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said lowest step terminates at its edge most distant from said highest step in an inwardly directed wall for limiting the gamepiece means from moving beyond said lowest step. 